Anne Brensley, a Wayland selectwoman, launches GOP campaign for lieutenant governor

Anne Brensley a selectwoman in Wayland and business executive launched a Republican campaign for lieutenant governor Monday by knocking both political parties for overlooking local issues in cities and towns throughout Massachusetts Brensley a -year-old with a background in real estate declared communities are struggling with overrides forever chemicals in drinking water supply shortages for society safety issues and the effects of a controversial transit-oriented zoning law that has prompted multiple court fights For too long both parties have ignored the unique challenges facing our towns and cities I m running to bring focus back to our communities from affordability to better schools cleaner water and safer streets by visiting the majority of towns throughout Massachusetts and talking directly to voters Brensley announced in a message Brensley explained she is running independent of the two Republicans who are competing for the Republican gubernatorial nomination venture capitalist Brian Shortsleeve and state housing and economic advance secretary Mike Kennealy In an interview with the Herald she noted she decided to strike out without a gubernatorial candidate because of what I saw needed to be done in the state more so than several political drive I want to do this position I think I m qualified for this position she mentioned I wasn t going to wait for somebody to ask me to enter into this position when I felt like I had such a strong vision for it Spokespeople for Kennealy and Shortsleeve did not forthwith provide reactions to Brensley s campaign Brensley commented she is very excited about Kennealy and Shortsleeve and even Michael Minogue a major Republican donor who is considering running for governor of Massachusetts They re incredibly profitable well-polished intelligent candidates Brensley commented I plan to build my campaign and advocacy all three in their pursuits Gov Maura Healey commented she is running for reelection next year and Lt Gov Kim Driscoll a Democrat who previously served as mayor of Salem also plans to seek a second term in office A campaign spokesperson for Driscoll did not this instant provide a response to a Herald inquiry Candidates for lieutenant governor in Massachusetts run independently of gubernatorial candidates during the primary vote but the winners of the primary appear as a ticket during the general voting process Brensley CEO of the real estate advancement firm DevCo North America described herself as socially liberal and fiscally conservative For example I would want to use funds for the opiate dilemma with the intent of truly reducing the use of opiates and the ability for people to come into this state to sell different drugs versus the approach that I m seeing which is giving specific of these individuals strategies to survive overdoses she mentioned That to me is counterproductive to truly solving the difficulty Brensley did not say whether she voted for President Donald Trump that is a very loaded question and instead commented she is a very strong Nikki Haley supporter She was an inspiration to me in just looking at the Republican Party as a place where I could fit in Brensley declared Brensley has donated small amounts of money to the Lincoln Project a political organization founded by Republicans who oppose Trump including at least in according to federal campaign records matched to Brensley through her name Wayland zip code and employment history She also donated at least to former U S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in when Clinton unsuccessfully ran for president against Trump federal records show Brensley mentioned the donations were made around the time when I was thinking about getting into politics I don t remember the context behind those I have supported Republican candidates I just don t know It was just a small amount of money I don t really remember the context behind it Brensley announced I know I have donated to Democratic and Republican candidates more as a business owner making sure that I was inevitably balanced I don t know if that was part of it and only a portion was shown Brensley declared she was also motivated to run for lieutenant governor because of the MBTA Communities Act a state law that requires certain municipalities to zone at least one district near a transit hub for multi-family housing I think the intention of wanting housing near transportation and trying to allow for more ability to do that speedily makes sense I think how they did it the concept of forcing communities to meet specific criteria that doesn t make any sense at all she mentioned I would repeal it